Vittoria’s graphene-infused Corsa was great for dry conditions and summer use, with impressive longevity and tread wear, but it’s still very much a spring/summer tyre set.
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For winter I like something a little more puncture resistant and tougher for harsher conditions, which is where the Control comes in. It shares the same compound as the standard Corsa, but the casing has been beefed up, although it’s still based on the high 320 thread per inch (TPI) count Kevlar-infused cotton. High TPI counts usually mean a suppler casing and sidewall and decreased longevity, but these have proven hardy and remained cut free throughout testing.
To make them more friendly for all the seasons, the linear tread has been enhanced with two prominent textured shoulders on the sides. This small addition adds to the tyre’s wet-weather stability, especially when hitting corners at speed and loading the tyre.
The volume is generous and the tyre is at its best when run at around 80-90psi
Vittoria claims the graphene-infused compounds used can change depending on how the tyre is loaded. So, when rolling straight, the rubber is at its hardest, but if you load it in another direction — braking, accelerating or leaning into a corner — the compound softens, offering significantly more grip. Add in the new textured tread and these tyres give bags of confidence.
The added strengthening means the Control weighs 273g for the 25mm, the standard Corsa weighs 257g for the same size, but measured up at 26.3mm wide when mounted to my Bontrager test wheelset with its 19.5mm wide internal dimension. The volume is generous and the tyre is at its best when run at around 80-90psi. Anything above that, for the old-school hard-tyre runners out there, and the sidewall starts to feel a bit stiff compared to the standard supple Corsa.
In all, the Control gives a race-tyre-like feel to a hardy winter training tyre, which is an impressive feat. These will be staying on my bike for the remainder of winter, spring and probably beyond.
1. Hard case: the standard Corsa casing has been strengthened to cope with tough, winter conditions.
2. Extra texture: the pattern on the shoulders will help with all-weather grip.
3. Colour choice: if you’re not a fan of tan, the tyres are also available with black sidewalls.
